Food safety while outdoors

KIMT News 3 – Eating outdoors is just one of the many well-enjoyed activities during the summer, but only if done safely.

No matter where you get your food this season, public health officials warn us all to be weary of food left outdoors.

For campers and hikers, preparing food outdoors can pose a risk for bacteria if the food isn’t cooked properly and on a clean surface.

One health specialist says what’s most important is understanding how your food can react to the elements.

“When you cook your food, you want to make sure that it’s plenty warm. If possible you want to make sure that you have a thermometer so that you can make sure that anything that is meat of animal origin is cooked,” said Brian Hanft, Deputy Director with the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health.

Brian also warns anyone enjoying the outdoors, that surface water should be your last resort for drinking water and only if you have a proper filtration system.

“Let’s say you’re going to go out trout fishing for the day, you pack things that aren’t necessarily going to spoil without temperature control. So refrigeration is just a simple thing and these are simple rules that I follow,” said Hanft.